It looks like Canada’s Rogers Wireless wasn’t content with merely jacking up its BlackBerry prices as it has just gone and made and a decision that is sure to aggravate plenty of smartphone customers. Normally, a Rogers customer is eligible for a Hardware Upgrade Program (HUP) discount every 12 months, allowing them to get a brand new phone with three-year contract pricing (with as much as an extra $100 plus a $35 administration fee added on top or as little as $25 taken off depending on how much a customer spent since his/her last HUP). Now however, the minimum term has been bumped up to 24 months. Some would argue this is what you get when you’re playing with branded and subsidized phones, but to others this is a pretty massive slap in the face. From the looks of these Rogers scoops we’ve been getting over the past few days, it seems like we have a whole bunch of ‘adjustments’ to look forward to thanks to that little $30 million blunder. Hit the jump for the full internal bulletin posted to Sales Central along with a screen shot. Not cool, Rogers.

**IMPORTANT UPDATE** Change to Hardware Upgrade Eligibility

The Hardware Upgrade Program (HUP) allows eligible customers to upgrade to leading edge data devices. Beginning March 17, the minimum eligibility tenure rule is changing from 12 months to 24 months for customers who wish to upgrade their smartphone and are currently on a data plan or Voice & Data Package.

This follows the March 13 price increase for BlackBerry® devices and reinforces the importance of explaining to customers that HUP eligibility and quoted hardware/plan pricing are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed beyond the time of quotation.

Update to HUP eligibility:

The updated HUP eligibility rule of 24 months minimum tenure since customer’s last upgrade or activation date will be system enforced and no exceptions will be allowed.

12 months eligibility tenure rule remains unchanged for customers upgrading from a non-smartphone to a smartphone or data device.

All other standard HUP eligibility rules still apply.

Reasons for the update to the HUP program:

Rogers Wireless heavily invests in providing the latest data devices at affordable prices to our data customers. This update to the Hardware Upgrade Program is designed to achieve cost efficiency in order to continue offering our customers an outstanding selection of the most advanced data devices for the best value.

Along with the growth in popularity of data devices there has also been an improved level of quality and technology that has gone into the line-up over the past years allowing a longer hardware lifespan.

Customer impacts:

Please always check the customer’s account in Vision21 for HUP eligibility to ensure the customer is provided with correct eligibility information.

Customers may have been eligible and now eligibility has been pushed out as a result of the update.

Customers may have been aware of their eligibility prior to the update, but did not take advantage of the program at the time and are currently not eligible as a result of the update.

Positioning:

Rogers Wireless sells devices at a significantly lower price than that which we pay the manufacturer. This update to our Hardware Upgrade Program is necessary in order to allow us to continue offering the best devices at the best value in a fair timeframe for our customers.
The Hardware Upgrade Program eligibility and hardware prices are subject to change without notice.

Please note that the information in this bulletin applies to the standard HUP program, and does not take into consideration any existing promotions that may require different eligibility. Always remember to consult the Sales Central bulletins to read the latest in HUP offers.

Rogers is the only GSM provider in Canada. Monopoly – We need more competition in Canada!!!!

Jeeverz

What the shait ?

MadMike

I’m assuming Rogers doesn’t have PR people that read the social news media sites. Every other major corporation I’ve seen has a person whose sole job is to read through blogs, twitter and sites like Engadget, BGR, Gizmodo, etc… Just like they have people read through The New York Times, and other major news mediums.

Or they just don’t care. Is Rogers run by Mr. Burns?

MB

It has always been 24 mos on business accounts.

math

if i understand everything… i just bought an iphone 3g on august 2k8 and i wont be able to upgrade for the new one until 2010? but last time apple change the thing and it was 3months to upgrade from any cellphone to the iphone it will probably be the same thing … cause they will lose sell if rogers says its 2 years minimum … can you check this out BGR ninjas?

Thx

Geoff

Do people really keep the same phone for a year. All this going to do is reduce the number of phones flogged on craigslist.

Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

thisismoi

What the hell…I’m so not impressed by this!

Adi

Looks like Hell and Telus will have some nice opportunities in the coming months to win over some business contracts.

Adi

Shawn

I just fully verified this on SalesCentral. Its legit. This can’t be good…

Marco R

This is all happening because Ted Rogers died and now Rogers is screwing the customers.

Hank

Well with both Telus and Bell looking to go GSM in the coming years and the possibility that at least one of them will go LTE, I don;t see why Rogers is being so dumb, they should be doing everything they can to keep existing customers on lock. This is really disappointing and its not like they were doing anyone any huge favours, just a few weeks ago I checked, out of interest, how much a BB Bold would set me back (and this was after giving them two grand over the course of the last year), $625! I know they have tiers but that price is a $25 dollar break over the out right price – and they’re getting me to commit to another 3 years with them. I think I might be jumping ship with them soon.

Toon

Not the only thing but also the new phones are coming with no sms or vm option to input the number, so if you have an issue getting txt or using vm then assure urself to have plenty of time to call cs.

Ravnos

Rogers had no problems screwing over customers while Ted Rogers was alive. His death changed nothing.

Troy

I’ve had a personal phone with Rogers for over 3 years; contract ran out over 1 year ago. I pay them $80.00+/month. I figured I would log in to my account and see what deals they are offering me.

BlackBerry BOLD
$574.99 3 yr renewal*
$574.99 2 yr renewal*

BlackBerry Curve 8900
$474.99 3 yr renewal*
$499.99 2 yr renewal*

BlackBerry Pearl
$374.99 3 yr renewal*
$399.99 2 yr renewal*

When I saw those prices I really did lol

Thanks but no thanks. I’ll stick with no contract and buy my own phones.

Andrea Elia

good thing i did my upgrade 2 weeks ago, i dont upgrade every year anyways im usually a every 2 year upgrade person so this doesnt effect me thank christ

abc

that’s not true it depends on what tier you fall under. i.e. A,B or C.

Gary

No surprise at all. We Canadians always get screwed. The other companies in Canada won’t give you a deal. They will copy Rogers to gouge us. Rogers has f$?red us forever with cable and internet. Telus and Bell will do the same. Canada after all is home of the non competition gouge.

James Field

Meh,

If this is true even when going through Customer Relations I’m unlikely to be signing on to Rogers for another renewal. I’ll hold my bold until bell and telus are using hspa/lte and then buy my phones outright and let the three fight over me on one year contracts. The bold hardware is capable of 99.99% of what I need in my mobile, its the software that needs to catch up.

Geoff

More competitors are coming give it 6 months. The people this will affect aren’t buying rogers phones anyways and my mom she will get 3 years out of her razr no matter what.

Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

Big_mistake_subscriber

Wow… Rogers can go F*** themselves. I guess they are making up for lost time since last year.They reduced the gauging a bit and now boom !

I thought about upgrading the old 8700. I was undecided if I should go for the 8900 or the Bold. I talked (today) to “account changes” and she said she put a note in the account, I am eligible for HUP and even for some discounts, etc. She told me she cannot get me the phone but if I go to a store I will be able to get a good deal.
So I went (same day).
Apparently, the modifications done by the CS people did not reach (?) the system (so far hopefully) and no upgrade could be made…
Since I just talked today to the CS I thought I should give them a day to “sync” the sh*t.
I came home and I read this terrible news posted above.
So I might say good bye to the upgrade since my newest contract is just 1 year and several months old..
F#$%^!!!
Thanks Rogers!

Steve

This does suck but as the post reads if you want a “normal” phone you can still upgrade every year, but if you want to upgrade from a data phone its every two, which makes some sense since the pricing discount you get on an upgrade after the first year with a data device isn’t that great anyway since those phones are much more expensive then simple phones. I guess the people who will be really effected will be those who want to upgrade from an iphone or bb 12 months in to the latest and greatest. If you have a normal phone and want a bb or iphone or something you can still get one after a year…still sucks but sorta makes sense.

James

there is one thing I was very disappointed that bell or telus didn’t get blackberry bold or curve 8900 at all and also telus or bell doesn’t support wi-fi. bell and telus does give good prices for storm, curve 8330 and pearl for 3 yrs contract

SledHead Ed

Well Rogers Bell and Telus have been screwing us for years

In the US you can get a UNLIMITED plan with ATT for 129.00 a month thats unlimited data unlimited local and long distance mins

I would kill for a plan like that here in Canada

Instead i am stuck paying $150 for 1200 mins a month with NO data and NO email
And all 3 providers have the same damn price